Non Establishment Workers: Team Unity Administration delivers another of its Manifesto commitments

On May 11, 2017

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BASSETERRE, ST. KITTS, May 11, 2017 (PLP PR Media Inc.) — The Team Unity Administration is on track to fulfil another of its Manifesto commitments, with the setting up of a committee that will advise the government on how to address and rectify injustices non establishment workers would have suffered in the past.

“My Team Unity Administration is very pleased with our record of consistently delivering on our promises made to the people of St. Kitts and Nevis – who on February 16, 2015 entrusted us with the business of managing and directing the affairs of our beloved Federation,” said Prime Minister Dr the Hon Timothy Harris on Wednesday May 10.

The Prime Minister, who was addressing his monthly Press Conference at Government Headquarters, said that Team Unity Administration takes this responsibility rather seriously seeing it as a sacred trust.

Dr Harris, who is the Political Leader of the Peoples Labour Party (PLP) which is one of the three parties making up the ruling Team Unity Administration, promised that his Administration will do all in its power to continue to build on its accomplishments for and on behalf of the people, who are its greatest assets.

“My Administration considers it a privilege to be able to account to you, once more, on our record of performance for the people,” said Prime Minister Harris who was accompanied at the head table by the Deputy Prime Minister Hon Shawn Richards, Senior Minister and Premier of Nevis the Hon Vance Amory, and the Attorney General the Hon Vincent Byron Jr. “Fora such as this press conference give us yet another opportunity to sustain critical communication links with the public whom we serve.”

He told the Press Conference which was aired live on ZIZ Television and Radio: “I want at this juncture to record that as we move forward with our Manifesto commitments, my Team Unity Administration has now set our sights on the pursuit of justice for our Non-Establishment Workers in the civil service.”

He said that the betrayal in the denial of their holiday pay way back since around 2012 and, more importantly, the failure to regularise their standing as pensionable employees of the Government had been a vexing issue for the over 1200 plus general auxiliary employees.

“My government promised that we will correct this injustice, and we are on the verge of so doing,” advised the Prime Minister. “In this regard I can report that we have now formalised a committee to advise the government on all aspects of this implementation: legislative, financial, and human resources.”

According to Dr Harris, the Committee will be chaired by the Chief Personnel Officer of the Government, Mrs Torfrida Rochester, and it will include the Acting Labour Commissioner Ms Shermel James, Budget Director Mr Calvin Edwards, a representative from the Legal Department, Mr Glenroy Woodley a non-establishment worker, and a representative from the Accountant General Department.

The Committee, advised the Prime Minister, should complete its work by summer allowing for a determination by the Government on the way forward before year end. He encouraged all the employees in both public and private sectors to give their best performance in their attendance, their punctuality, their work quality, their ingenuity, their honesty and loyalty they bring to their work establishment.